Three Chords and the Truth UK

  Friday Maverick fizzed into life on the stroke of five o'clock. A brace of options lay in front of early Easton Farm Park arrivals, both resident festival favourites. Violin-playing Chris Murphy got the nod over hard rocking Jon Langford on the basis of a couple of interesting releases this year. Murphy was once again appointed Artist-at-Large, meaning he could literally pop up playing on anyone’s set, and his own ignited an evening of fine music on The Peacock Stage with an improvised solo performance. Loops, vocals, audience ventures and virtuoso violin playing gave substance to this LA-based musician’s set. From a fresh off the press record produced by fellow fiddle player Seth Lakeman, an engaged crowd enjoyed ‘ Clean Break ’ and heartily joined in on ‘ Never Learned to Drive ’ dedicated to that marginalised LA community- non drivers. A great start to the weekend. The Peacock Stage, with its barn location and iconic backdrop, proved the major chosen space for the evening w...

The curtain of cloud opened on solstice morning and the walled garden was bathed in beautiful sunshine. Intermittent rays and prevalent gloom gave way to how every summer festival should be. The weather is always in the back of your mind when winding through the Shropshire lanes in mid-June. A south-west facing hill location has played tricks in the past. No drama in 2026 as Beardy Folk danced, sang and lazed to a successful staging of edition no. 9. With a milestone on the horizon, the formula is locked and polished over a tenure at Hopton Court that has surfed a few challenges. Tinkering has been the recent past and likely the immediate future. Why radically alter what works? As the dust settles, let’s reflect on how a musical landscape was sculpted across a weekend when fortune favours an inquisitive mind. The first disclaimer is the music runs across four days, albeit only three acts greet early arrivals on Thursday evening. This limited offering was extended to all ticket holders ...